Article 2 of the UNFCCC: Historical Origins, Recent Interpretations

Abstract

Article 2 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which states the treaty's long-term objective, is the subject of a growing literature that examines means to interpret and implement this provision. Here we provide context for these studies by exploring the intertwined scientific, legal, economic, and political history of Article 2. We review proposed definitions for “dangerous anthropogenic interference” and frameworks that have been proposed for implementing these definitions. Specific examples of dangerous climate changes suggest limits on global warming ranging from 1 to 4 ∘C and on concentrations ranging from 450 to 700 ppm CO2 equivalents. The implications of Article 2 for near term restrictions on greenhouse-gas emissions, e.g., the Kyoto Protocol, are also discussed.

Alcamo, J. and Kreileman, E.: 1996a, ‘The global climate system: Near term action for long term protection’, Background Report prepared for the Workshop on Quantified Emissions Limitation Reduction Objectives (QUELROS) at the Third Meeting of the Ad Hoc Group on the Berlin Mandate of the Framework Convention on Climate Change, Report 481508001, National Institute of Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands.Google Scholar

Andersen, D.: 2004, ‘Remarks on Prime Minister Martin's Speech from the Throne Regarding the Kyoto Protocol’, live transcript available at http://www.cbc.ca/insite/AS_IT_HAPPENS_TORONTO/2004/2/3.html, Part II, starting at minute 24:00.Google Scholar

Andresen, S. and Agrawala, S.: 2002, ‘Leaders, pushers, and laggards in the making of the climate regime’, Global Environ. Change12, 41–51.Google Scholar

Arrhenius, S.: 1896, ‘On the influence of carbonic acid in the air upon the temperature of the ground’, Philos. Mag.41, 237–276.Google Scholar

Austrian Government: 1991, Paper No. 27, Submission of the Government of Austria to the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee, copy on file with the authors.Google Scholar

Austria/Switzerland Governments: 1991, Paper No. 2, Open Paper, elaborated by some experts in their personal capacity, submitted by Austria and Switzerland. Shopping List: Main Elements for Inclusion in a Framework Convention on Climate Change or Related Protocols, copy on file with the authors.Google Scholar

Dutch National Research Program on Global Air Pollution and Climate Change (NRP): 1994, ‘Report of International Review Meeting IMAGE 2.0, NRP Report 00-09’, available by permission at http://sedac.ciesin.org/mva/NRP/NRP.html.

The Economist: 2004, Local Resources and Global Assets: Saving the Rainforest, July 22.Google Scholar

Enquette Commission: 1989, ‘Protecting the earth's atmosphere: An international challenge’, International Report of the Study Commission of the 11th German Bundestag, Bonner Unversitats-Buchdruckerie, Deutscher Bundestag Ed.Google Scholar

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF): 1997, Failure at Kyoto: A Narrow Time Window for Reductions, and a Steep Price for Delay, Policy Paper Prepared for the 1997 Third Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, copy on file with the authors.Google Scholar

Inhofe, J.: 2003, ‘The facts and science of climate change’, in Distributed at the Ninth Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, Milan, Italy, copy on file with the authors; copies available from Senator Inhofe's office.Google Scholar

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: 1994, Proceedings of the IPCC Special Workshop on Article 2 of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Fortaleza, State of Ceará, Brazil, October 17–21, copy on file with the authors.Google Scholar

Ministerial Declaration: 1996, Ministers and Other Heads of Delegations Present at the Second Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, adopted July 18, 12:00, copy on file with the authors.Google Scholar

National Research Council (NRC): 1983, Changing Climate, Report of the Carbon Dioxide Assessment Committee, edited by the Commission on Physical Sciences, Mathematics, and Resources of the National Research Council Board on Atmospheric Science and Climate, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC.Google Scholar

National Research Council (NRC): 1992, Policy Implications of Greenhouse Warming: Mitigation, Adaptation, and the Science Base, Panel on Policy Implications of Greenhouse Warming, Committee on Science, Engineering, and Public Policy, National Academy of Sciences, Washington, DC.Google Scholar

Revelle, R. and Suess, H. E.: 1957, ‘Carbon dioxide exchange between atmosphere and ocean and the question of an increase of atmospheric CO2 during the past decades’, Tellus9, 18–27.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Rijsberman, F. and Swart, R. (ed.): 1990, Targets and Indicators of Climate Change, Report of Working Group II of the Advisory Group on Greenhouse Gases, WMO/UNEP, Stockholm Environment Institute, Stockholm.Google Scholar

Second World Climate Conference (SWCC): 1990, Declaration of the Second World Climate Conference, reprinted in Jäger, J., and Ferguson, H. L. (eds.), Climate Change: Science, Impacts and Policy – Proceedings of the Second World Climate Conference, Cambridge University Press/WMO 1991.Google Scholar

Tyndall Centre: 2004, Perspectives on Dangerous Climate Change, Report of a Workshop organized by the Centre for Environmental Risk and The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, June 28–29, University of East Anglia.Google Scholar

United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), First Conference of the Parties (COP-1): 1995, Berlin Mandate of the Conference of the Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change, Decision 1/CP.1, paragraph 6 (FCCC/CP/1995/7 Add. 1), text available at http://www.unfccc.int.

United States (US) Statement to the Second Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change: 1996, July 18, copy on file with the authors.Google Scholar

World Commission on Environment and Development: 1987, Our Common Future, UN General Assembly Document A/42/427, 4 August 1987.Google Scholar

World Conference on the Changing Atmosphere: 1988, Statement on Implications for Global Security, Toronto (June 27–30 1988), reprinted as World Meteorological Organization and United Nations Environment Program WMO/OMM Doc. 710 (1989), and reprinted in Am. Univ. J. Int. Law Policy5, 515.Google Scholar

World Meteorological Organization (WMO): 1988, Developing Policies for Responding to Climatic Change, A Summary of the Discussions and Recommendations of the Workshops Held in Villach (28 September–2 October 1987) and Bellagio (9–13 November 1987) under the Auspices of the Beijer Institute, Stockholm, WMO/TD No. 225, Geneva.Google Scholar